Showing 1-24 of 45 items found in History

AACGS promotes and provides resources and education on the history of the African American. Embracing all cultures, it offers (in part), genealogy workshops, museum displays, storytelling, essay & poetry contests and the promotion of Cultural Arts. Three main annual community events sponsored are Black History Month, Juneteenth National Freedom Day, and Kwanzaa Celebration

AACGS promotes and provides resources and education on the history of the African American. Embracing all cultures, it offers genealogy workshops, museum displays, storytelling, essay and poetry contests, and the promotion of Cultural Arts.

Bryant Cottage was built in 1856 by Francis E. Bryant (1818-1889), a friend and political ally of Senator Stephen A. Douglas. According to Bryant family tradition, on the evening of July 29, 1858, Douglas and Abraham Lincoln conferred in the parlor of this house to plan the famous Lincoln-Douglas Debates. The picturesque one-story, four-room wood frame cottage has been “restored” and is interpreted as an example of a middle-class life in mid-nineteenth-century Illinois. The furniture on display is of the Renaissance Revival style, appropriate for a small-town family of the mid-nineteenth century. The cottage is accessible to persons with disabilities. The site hosts portions of a variety of locally sponsored events throughout the year.

Three galleries on the Millikin University Campus feature changing one-artist exhibits during the academic year. The Perkinson Gallery hosts a wide range of exhibitions that focus on work by professional artists from Illinois and the Midwest, in addition to work by artists with national recognition. The gallery has 2,000 square feet of floor space, with 132 linear feet of wall space. Patrons may view the displayed work for free, Monday through Friday from noon to 5 pm.
The Lower Gallery focuses on photographic works. Student artists display their works in the Studio Gallery. The Lower and Studio Galleries are open Monday-Friday from 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm Free admission.

The Second Floor Gallery, in partnership with Gallery 510, showcases local and regional artwork year-round. Frequently local and national traveling exhibits are displayed. In conjunction with the featured exhibits, the library presents topic-specific programs and events.
The gallery is open Monday-Thursday 9am-9pm; Friday-Saturday: 9am-5:30pm; Sunday: 1pm-5pm (Sept-May). Admission to the gallery is free and the public is welcome to all programs and events.

The award-winning museum features short-term exhibits about a wide range of topics pertinent to the history of Douglas County and East Central Illinois. The museum’s collections include clothing and textiles, military and medical equipment, decorative arts, archives and more! Plus, it’s also host to the Rural Life Antique Show held in March and November of each year.

Built in 1903, the auditorium is the largest building of its kind anywhere in the world, and is included on the National Register of Historic Places. Above the stage are Grecian statues designed by Robert Root.

Mattoon Tourism & Arts Welcome Center is located in the historic Illinois Central Railroad Train Depot, which also still serves as the Amtrak Station for the Community. The original Railroad Depot was constructed in 1918 by the Illinois Central Railroad, and it was then remodeled in 2011. The Depot is still an active Amtrak Station with 3,000 passengers boarding and un-boarding per month. The welcome center offers a host of information: state-of-the-art schools & colleges, a growing economy, beautiful parks, lakes and sports amenities round out the more favorable quality of life found in Mattoon.

Houses a number of coal minig artifacts - Pictures, newspaper clippings, coal mining tools, and other mine related materials on display. Most famous for the explosion that happened on December 24, 1932 which killed 54 workers.

This chapel, once a Catholic church, was purchased by the Best family who now offers it for weddings. Built in the 1870s, the chapel has its original 14-foot stained glass windows that complement the 33-foot cathedral ceiling.

Step into a restored 1860's farmhouse and experience an era when apple butter and ham and beans cooked over open fires; candles were hand-dipped and quilts were hand stitched; dulcimer music filled the air; and fields were worked by man and beast. Located on the 1,350-acre Rock Springs Nature Center site, the Homestead offers living history programs throughout summer.

Arguably one of the most famous outhouses left on the planet is located in the town of Gays, IL, located just five minutes from Mattoon. The existence of outhouses in general are rare, but certainly a two-story version is a unique oddity that the small rural community of 300 has capitalized on for quite some time. Stop by anytime for this great photo opportunity!

The historic Peterson House is a part of Peterson Park in Mattoon, and houses the Mattoon Chamber of Commerce. This beautiful building is rich in architectural history and is an key part of Mattoon's cultural story.